The Odds Of Survival
by Typhlosion8
Summary: 15-year-old Ash Ketchum is picked as tribute for District 12. He teams up with Serena, a young, inexperienced trainer who just wants to go home. Luck, love, chance, danger, all of these factors are standing in the way of victory for him in the Games. But as President Giovanni always says, "May the odds be ever in your favour."
1. Chapter 1

**Even though my poll failed, I decided to write this fic anyway. Why? Because I can.**

**Disclaimer: ****After all these years, I finally own KFC and their "finger lickn' good" chicken! Victory is sweet! What? No I don't own The Hunger Games. What is a Pokèmon?**

* * *

><p>"Serena Vaniville."<p>

Ash watched as a honey-haired girl walked up to the stage. He spotted a Pokèball in her hand. She looked frightened for a moment, but quickly covered it up with a calm demeanour.

"And now, for the gentlemen." Jessie said. For as long as Ash could remember, she had been the escort for District 12.

Ash took a deep breath, clutching the red-and-white sphere in his hand tighter. His lifelong partner was inside it, and if he was going to win, it would be with this Pokèmon.

"Ashton Ketchum."

Everyone was quiet. Ash's heart was thumping. Was it his imagination, or did she say Ketchum?

An older kid gave him a shove, and he slowly walked to the stage. Gripping Pikachu's Pokèball, he turned around and faced the large crowd. Glancing at the girl next to him, he saw tears flowing from her cheeks.

"Well, say hello to the tributes of District 12 - Serena and Ash!" Jessie said cheerily, but no one said a word.

Jessie looked put out as they were escorted to the Justice Building.

* * *

><p>Ash said nothing as his mom crushed him in a hug. She was sobbing, and looked shaky. Delia had only one child, Ash, and losing him was like losing a part of herself.<p>

"R-Remember that I l-love you, and I'll be waiting for you to c-come home." she said, and Ash knew that she was saying that for his benefit, because he knew he wasn't coming home. He already accepted his fate, and hoped he could die peacefully, instead of the alternative.

The Peacekeepers led her outside, and he was alone. Again.

* * *

><p>Serena's mother could not cry, trying to stay strong for her daughter.<p>

Serena was weeping as her mom held her against her chest.

"I love you," she said, and wanted to say more, but a lump in her throat kept her from saying things that mattered most.

Her mom was guided out of the room by the Peacekeepers, and Serena was alone in her room, crying until she had no more tears.

* * *

><p>The train jolted to life, and Ash watched as the familiar houses and people turned into blurs, and soon, all he could see was a field of long, thick grass.<p>

His room was luxurious, covered in gems and silks and precious metals. It angered him, all the neatness, all the perfection.

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out half a Pokèball, his districtrety. The other half belonged to his father, before he was killed by a Beedrill. Tucking it back into his pocket, he pulled out his only Pokèmon. The Pokèball was magnetically sealed, so that tributes couldn't use their Pokèmon to escape the train. The electric mouse was best friend.

_Flashback_

_"You're 11 now, you need to catch a Pokèmon."_

_"__Really Dad?"_

_"Yeah. I'll take you out to the woods. We'll catch it together."_

_Ash threw the Pokèball. The mouse tried to avoid it, but was __captured in it's red beam. The sphere shook once, twice, three times, and was still. Ash grabbed the Pokèball._

_"Look Dad! I caught it!"_

_"Nice work. Now, let's get home before your mother has a heart attack."_

_End Flashback_

It was one of Ash's last memories of his father. Even now, it was getting harder and harder to remember him.

One sentence replayed over and over in his head. _I'm only 14; I'm too young to die._

"Ash, time for dinner!"

He got off the soft bed and reached into the dresser. Searching through it's contents, he finally found what he wanted to wear.

* * *

><p>Serena had watched as the train pulled out of the station. She immeadietly rushed for her dresser.<p>

_I'm going to die, might as well enjoy my final days. And the Capitol has such comfortable clothes!_

She finally agreed on a black and pink dress, black tights, pink shoes and a dark pink hat with a fake flower attached to it. Smiling, she adjusted her hat and pushed her hair back.

"Serena, time for dinner!"

She happily ran into the dining room, eager to enjoy some of the Capitol's delicacies.

She was rewarded with pan seared Basculin, Oran Berry bread, Tauros burgers and a Pidgey pot roast with vegetables in a delicious Durin Berry sauce. There was pieces of Magikarp rolled in seaweed and rice called 'sushi', and Spearow chicken legs and rich lasagna and Clancher claws with butter and a salad with many different Berries and leaves from a Bellsprout. There were many drinks, including MooMoo Milk, Sitrus Berry juice, Soda Pop, Bottled Water, Lemonade and Colbur Berry wine.

Ash walked in, wearing a black shirt, blue jeans and a red sweater. A half Pokèball symbol was on his sweater and hat, which was red, blue and white.

He sat down at the table and took a Tauros burger. Serena quickly took a little of everything and piled it on her plate.

Jessie walked in, and a blond woman followed. She was tall and skinny, and wore a black hoodie, black yoga pants and black sneakers. Her eyes were steely cold.

"Who are you? Ash asked. The woman looked at him. "I am Domino. In my Games, I was nicknamed "Black Tulip" for my deceiving nature. I'm also the only victor of District 12."

"How did you win?" Serena questioned her. She looked at the young girl. "I beheaded the District 2 Tribute with an axe. His name was Bob, I think. Or was it Bill?" she mused. Serena looked slightly nauseous.

Domino and Jessie sat down at the table. Ash went back to picking at his food. Jessie tried to start a conversation, asking them about home, but neither of them could bare to talk about the family they were leaving. It was Domino who got them going.

"So, what can you do?"

Serena shook her head. "I'm useless," she said sadly.

Ash said nothing, not wanting to tell his strength Serena.

"Come on Serena, you must be good at something!" Jessie said encouragingly, but the girl shook her head.

Domino looked at Ash."Speak up Ash." she said. "Everyone here is with you."

Ash looked suspicious. "How do I know I can trust her?" he said, jabbing a finger at Serena. "She could sell my secret to stay alive!"

Serena started to cry. Jessie glared at him. "You should be working together." she growled.

"I'm not going to survive if I'm dragging around dead weight!" Ash yelled.

Serena got up abruptly, walked towards him, and slapped him across the face. "I don't need to carry around an arrogant jerk like you!" she yelled at him, and ran out of the room.

Domino was laughing, a grin on her face. "You two are so cute!" she chuckled.

Cheek stinging, Ash got up out of his chair and stomped briskly out of the room.

* * *

><p>Serena woke up around 1:00 AM, her pillow damp.<p>

_Cried to sleep, _she thought. _Great first __impression._

Last night came back to her slowly, like a long forgotten memory.

She remembered Ash calling her dead weight, and then she remembered slapping him and running out of the room in tears. Then she fell onto her bed and sobbed into her pillow, and probably fell asleep. Someone changed her into some pyjamas.

Sitting up, she put on a fresh outfit and walked down the hall, where a delicious breakfast awaited her.

Bacon, eggs (sunny side, scrambled and hard boiled) , hash browns, ham, pancakes, waffles, and varieties of juice were sitting on the table. Serena sat down and began enjoying the delicacies.

Jessie came into the room, and said "We'll be in the Capitol in a few hours."

Domino soon after, followed by Ash. He wouldn't meet her eyes, and focused on eating as much breakfast as he could.

The room was silent for a while, then Ash finally spoke up.

"Serena, I'm sorry about yesterday. I'm not angry at you, just at the unfairness of leaving my mom and District 12. We both know I most likely won't be coming back, and I took my anger out on you. I'm really sorry."

He looked down.

"I understand Ash. Now, let's work together and turn this thing around." she said kindly, and Ash nodded.

Then, in a voice Ash could barely hear, Serena mumbled something that Ash had almost forgot about.

"I'm pretty strong with my Fennekin," she said quietly.

"PIKACHU!" Ash yelled, jumping out of his chair. How could he forget his most powerful weapon?

Noticing the looks everyone was giving him, he sheepishly sat down. "My Pikachu's really powerful." he said slowly, and went back to eating.

Domino smiled. "Now you're thinking! Ash, Serena, what moves can your Pokèmon use?"

"Psyshock, Flamethrower, Psychic and Fire Blast." Serena stated.

"Thunderbolt, Volt Tackle, Iron Tail and Quick Attack." Ash said quickly, not missing a beat.

Domino nodded. "Not bad. You two might have a chance."

"I'm going to have a victor!" Jessie cheered. That's when it dawned on them.

_A victor._

* * *

><p>The train stopped suddenly, and Ash got off his bed. Walking through the halls, he finally found what he was looking for.<p>

The door. Domino came out from behind him. Pulling out a key, she unlocked the door, revealing bright sunlight and towering buildings. Serena and Jessie came too, but the two teens were separated from their friends by Peacekeepers.

Escorted into a building, Ash was left in a room with a shiny table and Three people came into the room. A man came in, followed by a Cinccino and a Zangoose.

The guy, who had short brown hair and bright blue eyes, took one look at Ash and said angrily "Why do I always get the brats who look the dirtiest?" and walked out the door.

Upset, Ash was led by the kind Cinccino to a bathroom, and ended up being scrubbed from head to toe by her as he sat in the tub. After that, Zangoose cut his hair while Cinccino filed his nails.

In the end, he looked like someone else. Clean, brushed hair, smooth nails and skin. Zangoose gave him a red shirt and some blue jeans, and then the two Pokèmon left, leaving Ash alone in the cold, empty room.

* * *

><p>Serena felt like royalty as she was washed and her hair trimmed by the helpful Chansey and Weaville. Her nails were filed and shiny, and her skin soft and smooth.<p>

Finally, she was given a pink shirt and some black pants, and left alone in the room.

_This is the way to go, _she thought. Her body went numb as she thought about what she said. _Go. I'm going to die._

She began to cry, no one to hear her.

* * *

><p>A green haired man walked into Ash's room.<p>

"Hey, I'm Drew."

He held out his hand, and Ash shook it.

"Ash Ketchum." he replied. Drew smirked.

"Alright, Ketchum. Let's get started."

* * *

><p>Serena stopped crying as an orange haired woman came into the room. Wiping away her tears, she offered her hand.<p>

"H-Hi. I'm Serena."

The woman shook it. "Hello Serena. I'm Zoey."

Zoey put her hands on her hips. "Cheer up! You're going to be a princess for the world to see."

Serena gave a weak smile.

* * *

><p>Ash glanced at himself as he stood in the simple outfit. Drew had decided to make him look strong, so instead of the usual coal based outfits, he was wearing a yellow shirt, Black pants and a black hoodie that covered up most of his shirt. He also wore red sneakers and a black hat with a yellow bolt of lightning. Pikachu's Pokèball was in his hand.<p>

Serena came into the chariot from behind, startling him. She was wearing black as well, in a cute black skirt and matching top. She had some sneakers as well, but they were a dark pink, and her hat was also dark pink with a black ribbon around it.

"Hey." Ash greeted her. Serena smiled.

"You look good." she said. Ash noticed a Pokèball in her hand too.

"Well, I have to look my best. I have to have sponsors think I can last long in the Games." he replied. Her smile flickered, but Ash didn't notice, because the chariots were moving.

Quickly grabbing onto a side of the chariot, he was surprised when Serena grabbed his other hand, but did not pull away. She looked fearful as the crowd got louder.

"It's okay," Ash whispered. She nodded, but still held on tight.

And suddenly, they were out in the open, surrounded by thousands of people roaring. He started to lose feeling in his hand.

Feeling a little safer, he let go of the chariot and waved to the crowd. They loved that. Serena got up the courage to wave as well, and ended up catching a flower that was thrown to her. Smiling, she tucked it into her hat.

And then they were gone, their chariot had stopped moving, and they were getting off, and Serena's moment of calmness and happiness was fading away.

* * *

><p>Ash sat patiently as he waited his turn. Serena was shaking.<p>

They were waiting for their interview with Duplica, the host. She was always smiling, laughing, and had been hosting the show since the Games had begun.

Ash looked around at the other tributes. There was the District 1 tributes, Sapphire, a young girl about 15 and her partner Ruby, an 16 year old guy. Both looked ready to win.

From District 2, Silver and Crystal, the warrior duo, as they called themselves, were both 17. Silver looked very independent, so Ash was sure he'd be a

problem in the Arena.

District 3 was Clemont, a young inventor at the older age of 14, and Platinum was a young girl, only 13, but good with technology.

Tracey and Misty were from District 4, and rumours were flying around that Misty had a Gyrados. She was 15, and Tracey was 14.

Paul and Dawn were from District 5, and Paul looked frightful, while Dawn looked sweet. She was obviously in love with him. Paul was 14, and Dawn was 13.

District 6 had sent Blue and Green, and both quite strong. Blue was 17, and Green, his partner, was 16.

Red and Yellow were from District 7, and neither of them looked prepared for the Games. Yellow was 13, and Red was 15.

Black and White might become a problem. They were from District 8, and both were 16.

District 9 was represented by Cilan & Iris, a green haired guy at the age of 17 and his companion, a young, wild girl at 14.

District 10 was the only one Ash knew about. Max and May were brother and sister, and by some unlucky chance, both had been drawn for the Games. May was 14, and Max was 12.

Gary and Bonnie were from District 11. Gary was 15, and Bonnie was only 12.

And then there was him and Serena. Serena was only 14, and too young to know what she was doing. At least he had a chance.

_As long as my secret skill stays secret._

* * *

><p>Serena walked on stage. As she sat down, Duplica smiled.<p>

"Hello Serena. How are you doing?"

"Fine." she heard herself say.

"Great. Tell me, how are you feeling about the Capitol so far?" she asked.

Serena felt at ease. "I think that it's a wonderful place. I mean, have you seen the wardrobes on the trains? I'm sure I saw a suit of armour in there!"

Duplica laughed. "Yes, they really have too many options. But, I'm sure everyone here would love to know, how do you think you'll do in the Games?"

"I think that with my Pokèmon by my side, I could actually win!" she said cheerfully, and the crowd cheered for her.

"Well, time almost up, but I just want to know, if your family was watching right now, what would you say to them?"

Serena felt her eyes tear up.

"I... I would tell them that I love them, and... I'm going to come home."

As the timer buzzed, Serena rushed off stage.

* * *

><p>Ash sat in the velvet lined chair. Duplica looked at him. No one knew her real name. She was know for her every changing personality and her love of Dittos.<p>

"Hello Ash. Feeling alright?"

He nodded. "Of course. The food here is excellent. Nothing like District 12."

"Speakng of District 12, do you miss it?"

Ash pretended to think hard. The crowd watched patiently.

"Well, I miss my mom, but I could live without the school!"

The audience loved that. Ash gave a sheepish look, and the crowd went wild.

"We could all do with a little less school," Duplica said. " But tell us Ash, who do you think is your biggest opponent in the Games, seeing all those tributes?"

"My stomach. I eat like a Snorlax!" Ash said, and watched as the people laughed and cheered.

The buzz of the timer signalled his leave, and he walk off stage.

* * *

><p>The room was lined with all the best equipment. Bows, swords, spears and more was everywhere. There were instructors ready to teach them how to identify berries and plants, trap animals, tie knots and build fishing hooks. Domino told them to try different things.<p>

But the best thing was a battlefield at the back. It had different battle stimulations, perfect for training.

Ash slowly walked towards the battlefield, drawn like a Mothim to a flame.

Unclipping his Pokèball from his belt, with the push of a button, his Pikachu was on the field.

"Pika Pikachu!" the mouse taunted, and Ash tapped a button on the silver computer nearby.

Out of nowhere, cannons pointed at Pikachu and shot sharp spikes at the Electric type.

Pikachu effortlessly dodged every one, and looked at Ash, almost saying _"That's the best you've got?"_

He shook his head. "Of course not. Just testing your reflexes."

Pikachu smiled happily. _"Let's go!"_

* * *

><p>Serena walked over to the knotting table. After watching carefully, she decided to try tying a knot that would hold her into tree.<p>

5 minutes later, she had a mess of rope and frustration was building up.

"Arrg!" Serena called out.

"Calm down." said a purple haired girl. She took the knot, and with a few quick movements, the rope was undone.

"How did you do that?" Serena asked the girl.

She smirked. "Patience is all you need."

She held out her hand.

"I'm Iris."

"Serena."

* * *

><p>A crowd had formed around Ash and his Pikachu. Serena and Iris wandered over to see what the commotion was all about.<p>

Pikachu was now dodging spikes, knives, poison darts and small fireballs while easily doing an impressive series of backflips, cartwheels, walkovers and somersaults.

Atimer went off, and the attacks ceased. The other tributes just watched as Pikachu balanced on his tail.

"Nice work!" Ash called to his best friend. "Pika Pika!" the mouse cheerfully replied.

Stunned, everyone stared at the boy from District 12 and his Pikachu. Cheerfully whistling, he walked away to check out the sword station, his Pikachu tailing behind him.

* * *

><p>Serena picked up the spear. It was simple, a wooden pole and a sharp point on the tip. Glancing at the targets, she took a deep breath and threw one.<p>

It had almost landed on the centre.

Testing, Serena picked up another one and threw it, checking to make sure it wasn't luck.

The spear hit the bull's eye, and she felt glued to the spot. _She was good._

Picking up another spear, she walked over to the dummies. They were for sword practice, but Serena backed up a bit, and tossed the spear at it.

With a _thunk_, the spear imbedded itself in the chest of the dummy.

Serena was proud for a moment, before she realized that these were suppost to be people.

Mortified, she backed up as far as possible,and bumped into something.

Actually, it was some_one._

"Watch it."

Serena looked up to see Silver, the tribute from District 2. His red hair reached his shoulders, and he looked angry.

Serena jumped up. "Sorry!" she said quickly, but Silver didn't seem to care. He was looking at the dummy.

"You threw that?" he asked sharply. She nodded.

He looked at her, searching for something.

"Not bad." he said, and walked away.

* * *

><p>Ash stood up and walked into the room. The Gamemakers were chatting and eating. A few were actually watching, and he felt Butterfrees flutter in his stomach.<p>

Picking up his sword from the other day, he released his Pikachu with the other hand. He ran opposite him, and his tail hardened.

The Iron Tail swung at him, but he blocked easily with the sword. They continued this, Pikachu jumping into the air and attacking from unusual angles, but each one was blocked expertly with the silver blade. Ash felt a flashback of long ago creep into his head.

_Flashback_

_"Here Ash."_

_His dad handed him a wooden sword, carved from an oak tree nearby. The tree was dying, so his dad had taken some wood and created a blade for Ash._

_"Cool!" Ash cried out, and felt the sharp edge. He ran up to a tree and pretended to attack it, slashing a__t it with his wooden sword._

_His father walked over to him. "Ash!" he called. _

_Ash looked at him. "Yeah?"_

_"Slashing isn't enough. You need to block, to stab, to parry."_

_"Will you show me how?" Ash asked._

_End Flashback_

The raven haired teen swung the sword, and felt Pikachu's tail hit it. Smirking, he pushed on Pikachu's tail, and the rodent struggled to hold his place.

"Pika..."

With a quick hit, Ash had Pikachu on the ground. Smiling, he placed the sword back in place and walked out of the room, recalling Pikachu as he left.

* * *

><p>Serena walked into the room, ignoring the Gamemakers. Picking up a spear, she backed up a few metres from the dummy. The Gamemakers were slightly interested as she took a deep breath.<p>

With expert precision, she quickly threw the spear, and only smirked as it went deeper and deeper into the dummy. She watched their expressions as it came out the other side.

"Remember, Serena Vaniville of District 12!" she said cheerfully, and left the room. She knew she was done.

* * *

><p>Ash put the outfit on. It was simple enough; red shirt, black pants, red sneakers, a Pokèball belt and a black hoodie. Drew gave him a hat, and he tugged it over his messy black hair. He clipped Pikachu's ball to his belt, and it stuck on magnetically.<p>

He had gotten a respectable 9 on his training score. People and places kept showing up in his vision. Mom, his friends around District 12, the woods he knew so well. But he was leaving that behind now.

He stepped into a glass tube and felt it lift up. Suddenly, he was in the Arena, and everywhere around him, there was grass and flowers. He spotted what looked like a large body of water towards the east, and snow-capped mountains were in the north. A small forest was to the west, and the golden Cornucopia was in the middle.

And then he saw it. A gleaming sword was leaning against the Cornucopia's wall. Near the sword was a large blue backpack.

_But it's so far away, and there's a knife and small backpack closer to me._

"Ladies and gentlemen, I welcome you to the 62nd annual Hunger Games! Let the Games begin, and may the odds be ever in you favour!"

The countdown started.

60...59...58...57...56...

* * *

><p>Serena took in the fresh air in the Arena. Close by, there was a dense forest, perfect for hiding. She felt Fennekin's Pokèball on her belt.<p>

She was wearing a blue shirt, black pants, blue sneakers and a hoodie. She spotted a shiny spear near the Cornucopia. A large blue backpack was near it.

_How am I support to get it from over here?_

55...54...53...52...51...

_I could run and get it, or I could play it safe and grab the little bag near me._

50...49...48...47...46...

Across the field, she spotted Ash. He looked determined to run to the Cornucopia. Serena decided to get into a running position as well.

45...44...43...42...41...

All she really could do was wait. She thought of her mom at home, hoping she would return.

_And by running to the Cornucopia, I'm __guaranteeing a suicide run on myself._

40...39...38...37...36...

* * *

><p>The clock got lower and lower.<p>

35...34...33...32...31...

Ash looked at everyone else. Max and May looked ready to run to the woods, Misty was aiming for the water, and Silver and Crystal were set on going to the Cornucopia.

30...29...28...27...26...

Suddenly, Ash spotted Serena. She looked conflicted between running to the woods and running to the Cornucopia.

25...24...23...22...21...

Ash started to think about it. By going to the Cornucopia, he was risking his life, but could also last longer if he got the sword.

20...19...18...17...16...15...

Time seemed to speed up. _Go, don't go. Go, don't go. Go, __don't go._

14...13...12...11...10...

_Go get the sword._

9...8...7...6...5...4

...3...2...1...

0

* * *

><p><strong>Okay, I'm done for now. I really want to use most of my story on the Games, so I sped through the beginning a little.<strong>

**Bye bye!**

**Ty8**


	2. Chapter 2

Ash felt the adrenaline pump through his veins. He felt the wind rustle his hair as he dashed closer and closer to his prize, sitting silently against the golden Cornucopia. Then he heard a whooshing noise, turned his head, and saw the gleam of sunlight flash on a silver blade as it sunk into his shoulder.

Pain flooded through him like a dam bursting; he pulled out the knife and continued to run, exclaiming in relief when he felt his hand wrap around the bronze hilt and swung it around and into Sapphire's abdomen. She gasped as he pushed it deeper into her stomach, finally pulling out and letting her fall.

Ash quickly grabbed the blue backpack he had set his eyes on earlier and took in a deep breath as it his his shoulder. The wound was bleeding heavily; he spotted a white medicine pack and grabbed it with his free hand along with the sword sheath and started to run towards the forest. From the arena's appearance, it seemed like he was in either western Kanto or northern Johto; Ash had only ever read about them in books at his school in District 12.

He ran as fast as he could, deeper and deeper into the thick wilderness.

* * *

><p>As the countdown finished, Serena ran forward and grabbed a medium-sized pack. It was a pitch black colour, but covered in a shiny material on the outside. The honey haired girl didn't think much about it, instead, she ran a little closer to the Cornucopia and picked up a small dagger with a strap-on sheath. Serena turned around and dropped the dagger as she was met by a brown haired girl. In her hand was a sharp blade with a serrated edge.<p>

Green shoved her to the ground and pushed the blade closer and closer to Serena's throat. A thin red line appeared, growing bigger as Green pushed more.

_This is it, _Serena thought. _This is the end._

And then a sleek silver blade slashed across Green's neck, and her head fell behind her. For a moment, Serena had the craziest idea that her mentor, Domino, had come to save her and take her home, to laugh and tell her this whole thing was a huge misunderstanding, that she wasn't support to be here.

But instead, she saw Silver, his red hair resting on his shoulders as he brought the sword down to his side. Serena instantly freaked out. Green was going to kill her, but she would never compare to whatever Silver would do.

And then he offered his hand and helped her get up.

"Careful. These people want to kill you." he said, and she stifled a laugh, and instead, hastily picked up her dagger and sheath. Swinging her backpack back onto her back, she followed Silver towards the Cornucopia, not sure if any of this was real.

* * *

><p>Ash cursed under his breath as he sat under the oak tree. The wound in his shoulder was deep; he was glad he had brought the medicine pack. Unzipping the white bag, he looked through the supplies. There were bandages, gauze, medical tape and cold packs along with bottles of different pills. Ash read each one, hoping it was inside the bag. There was pills to help you sleep, pills to cure fever, pills to cure poison, energy tablets and throat lozenges. But those didn't matter. Ash found the one he wanted, a small one. It was in a package of six, and he popped one out and swallowed it on its own. The effects were instant. The morphling tablet was helping the pain melt away. The raven haired teen then applied gauze and some bandages to his knife wound and stuck it there with the medical tape.<p>

Ash then opened his backpack. Inside, there was a sleeping bag and extra blanket, along with a water bottle filled to the top. There were iodine tablets to help purify water, a long coil of rope, a box of matches, and a pair of black glasses. They made his vision worse, so he put them to the side. Dried fruit, lots of beef strips, two apples, two packages of trail mix, four energy bars and two packages of crackers. Food to last for at least five days. If he lasted that long. But at the bottom, there was an amazing sight.

5 Ultraballs rested at the bottom of the backpack, each one empty and ready for use. It was like a slice of heaven to see such rare items. In District 12, one regular red-and-white Pokèball was thousands of dollars. Ultraballs were out of the question. Only the wealthiest of Capitol citizens could afford one.

But that wasn't all. A shiny red device sat on the very bottom, the green power light off. A PokèDex, brand new.

He quickly repacked his backpack, adding the medical kit to his spoils. Carefully, as to not hurt his shoulder even worse, he began to scale the tree.

It was a thick oak, taller than some skyscrapers he saw in the Capitol. Ash pulled himself up, finally resting when he was at a thick branch close to the top. It reminded him of the ones in District 12; the one enormous elm tree he had scurried up after his father's funeral.

Cannon after cannon began to go off. They never tried to fire them during the bloodbath at the Cornucopia, they always waited for things to settle, so the initial fight must have been over.

_**Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!**_

He felt terrible, the thought that 9 people had died was saddening, but he hardened his thoughts. _If they hadn't died, you would have._

Ash pushed that thought out of his mind, and instead, looked at the arena. It seemed to spread out for miles across the ground. The forest was just a small part of the arena. The sun had begun to set below the horizon. Ash unrolled his sleeping bag from his bag and tied himself to the tree with his rope coil. He pulled a secure knot; it was another one of his better skills.

He gnawed on some beef jerky as the arena went dark. A crescent moon shone down, followed by a projection in the sky. The Capitol anthem played, and then the faces appeared after it. It was horrible to watch the dead people's faces show.

First, there was Sapphire of District 1. Realization hit him as her photo appeared. _He killed her. _Without feeling anything, he impaled her with the sword that was resting on his side, and just ran away. He didn't even feel bad about her death, just that he killed her.

Other photos flashed by. District 3's female tribute, the male tribute from District 4, the girl from District 6, the two tributes of District 8, the boy from District 9, and that little girl from District 11. He couldn't even remember her name.

Nine people were dead. Fifteen were still up and ready to fight.

* * *

><p>Serena woke up to a bright glare. The golden Cornucopia was shining in the sunlight, right in her eyes.<p>

As she sat up, a shiny spear rolled out of her hand. The events of yesterday unfolded in her head.

She had followed Silver to the Cornucopia, where he had handed her a spear and some spare spearheads. Then, they had joined up with Ruby, the boy from 1, and Crystal, the girl from District 2. They had both agreed that her impressive 10 was good enough for them, and with that, she was a part of the Careers.

She sat up, and Crystal handed her some trail mix in a package. It was full of dried fruit and nuts, mixed with granola and a few brown things Ruby called 'chocolate.' He said it was all part of a nutritious breakfast. Silver said they needed their strength if they were going to hunt down some of the weaker tributes.

His words slowed her heart. They were actually going to find people to kill, and enjoy it?

"Come on Serena," Crystal said, and she quickly jumped back into reality and got up, the gold spear clutched in her hand tightly, tethering her to the real world.

* * *

><p>Serena walked quietly on the forest floor; the other Careers ahead of her. She was trying to sort through her conflicting feelings.<p>

By staying with the Careers, she had a good chance of survival, at least until they didn't need her, which she would then run into the forest. But she didn't want to hunt others down, not when she could just let them stave and die in peace.

Another problem was Ruby. He was upset about Sapphire's early death, and was determined to find her killer. But that wasn't enough for him. He was releasing his anger by swinging his iron mace at anything in his way, smashing into trees and destroying everything in his path. Crystal had told him repeatedly to "take a chill pill", but he ignored her, and continued to make as much noise as possible.

Until the axe embedded itself into his head with a sickening _thunk, _and he collapsed onto the ground in a lifeless pile. Serena gave an ear-piercing shriek, but it was Crystal who pulled an arrow from its sheath and launched it at the nearby birch tree and into the attacker with her silver bow. He fell to the ground, the arrow protruding from his neck as the cannon went off.

_**Boom!**_

Silver pulled the small backpack off his shoulders, and emptied it's contents. It was full of wild berries and other fruits, a small water bottle, and another axe wrapped in a washcloth. Silver scoffed, but took the axe from the pile and handed it to Serena, who packed it in her backpack. He then motioned for them to leave. Serena looked into Ruby's lifeless eyes as another cannon went off, before running to catch up with the other two Careers.

_**Boom!**_

* * *

><p>Ash heard the cannons go off, and for a moment, wondered if one of them was Serena's. His Pikachu was resting by his side, finally released from it's Pokèball. All of his supplies were packed, except for a single apple in his pocket, in case he had to leave quickly. Everything was peaceful.<p>

And then out of nowhere, a massive bird flew towards them, deadly sharp talons extended.

Ash quickly ducked the claws, and pulled out the PokèDex. Scanning the bird, a monotone voice began to speak.

_"Pidgeot, the Bird Pokèmon. Its powerful wings are capable of stirring up windstorms in just a few flaps, and it may spread its wings to intimidate enemies. This Pokémon is capable of flying faster than the speed of sound."_

"Sounds pretty good for our first catch. Pikachu, jump onto Pidgeot using Quick Attack and then Thunderbolt!"

"Pika Pika!" The tiny mouse acknowledged, and leapt up and slammed into the bird's beautiful plumage.

"Pidgeee-" it cried, as the bird collapsed after a light Thunderbolt, falling towards the ground.

"Go Ultraball!" Ash yelled as he threw the ball, before covering his mouth quickly, and watched as Pidgeot was absorbed in a red beam of light. Pikachu hastily jumped to a low branch, his tail sticking out and precariously balancing the Ultraball. The ball shook once, twice, three times, before stopping. Ash had to cover his mouth so he wouldn't give away his location by shouting again. He untied the rope around his waist and slid down the tree to Pikachu's branch, grabbing the Ultraball and clipping it onto his belt.

"Good job Pika-" but he stopped suddenly as Pikachu's ears flicked. The tiny mouse looked downwards, and Ash was silent as he and his Pokèmon listened to the sound.

"-reaction time was too slow. Next time, don't do that unearthly wail." the girl said crossly.

"Sorry. I'll be ready next time." said another girl. Recognition struck Ash. It was Serena.

"Good. The next one is yours." a male voice said. The danger radiated from his words, like an order she couldn't fail, or else.

Ash looked into Pikachu's charcoal eyes, and he nodded in understanding. _Go up, quickly but silent._

Pikachu went first, crawling up the bark of the oak tree. Ash followed, gripping anything he could to pull himself up. Pain shot up his arm as the morphling tablet he had taken this morning wore off. He tried not to say anything, hoping that the people would leave.

Pikachu was at the top, his black eyes showing urgency as Ash continued, less than halfway up.

As he grabbed the next limb, his foot slid on the tree's bark and for a moment, he thought he would fall. But Ash quickly regained his balance and pulled himself up again.

Then the shiny red apple, uneaten and sitting in his jacket pocket, fell out and tumbled to the ground below.

* * *

><p>Serena heard a thump as something fell to the ground beside the tree Silver was leaning on. It was a crisp ruby red apple, fresh and perfect.<p>

She came to the same conclusion as the others. _Oak trees don't have apples._

Serena glanced up to the treetops and saw a shape close to the top. They were rushing up now, making plenty of noise. _A tribute._

Crystal smirked. "I'll get the kid down, no problem."

She pulled the arrow back, and it launched towards the shape in the tree. It must have hit, because they fell down quite a distance on to the hard earthy ground. A tiny mouse fell soon after, in a defensive position next to his trainer. "Pikachu!" it cried, red cheeks sparking menacingly.

_Ash._

It was obviously him, he was in the tribute outfit, but she wouldn't mistake his messy black hair and chocolate brown eyes, watering from pain. A Pokèball and an Ultraball were stuck to his belt, along with a huge sword sheath and large blue backpack, the one she wanted earlier. It was huge compared to her small bag of choice supplies. His shoulder was bleeding heavily underneath him, soaking through whatever bandages he had on. Another wound in his lower left leg was bleeding as well, a silver arrow sticking out of it.

He slowly got up, but stopped suddenly when he realized who was watching him.

"Hello there, Careers. Beautiful day, am I right?" he asked cheerfully, before shoving something into his mouth and swallowing.

The effects from the Capitol-made tablet was instant. Seconds later, he was on his feet, dropping the backpack next to him and unsheathing his sword. He swung at Crystal, creating a deep gash in her leg, then spun around and blocked Silver's own sword from taking his head. Crystal fell, her leg unable to hold her weight.

Whatever went through her head then, she didn't know, but she grabbed the small dagger from its sheath, imagined it a spear, and threw it into Silver's hand. He cursed as it stabbed into him, dropping the sword and pulling out the tiny blade, and ran as Ash swung at him. Crystal tried to get up, but fell, and looked Serena in the eyes with a murderous glare. Ash turned his sword and sunk it into her chest, and the cannon went off as she slumped to the ground.

_**Boom!**_

He then looked looked at his new friend, an internal struggle going on as he considered whether to become allies.

Finally, he gave up, and began walking away, Serena on his tail. Pikachu ran up to him and jumped onto his shoulder as he limped onward.

* * *

><p>Ash fought the urge to scream as he pulled the arrow out of his leg delicately, so as not to break the head off and get it lodged in his leg. Serena had some water, a packaged bottle she got from the Cornucopia that she was using to dampen a piece of bandage.<p>

When the arrow finally came free, she wiped away the blood and tried to clean the wound. He was re-wrapping his knife injury in gauze and bandages. The pain was becoming worse from his arrow wound.

That feeling became worse when Serena noticed that Ash looked pale and shaky. She picked up the arrow and studied it carefully. The tip of the arrow was tinted a purple colour.

"PoisonPowder," Serena whispered. Of course, if Crystal's Pokèmon could use the attack, why not make sure anyone who got away from her counted out for good? It was brilliant, the perfect way to win the Games, but she didn't know about Ash's energy tablets, and that's he was what killed her in the end.

"Crystal's Parasect used PoisonPowder on it. You're lucky it didn't hit his chest."

Serena whipped her head around to see a girl, about 14, standing nearby. She had blond hair tied into a ponytail and a bag hanging from her arm. Serena instinctively grabbed her spear from her belt, but put it back when she saw that the girl had no weapons.

"I can help." she said, her voice barely a whisper. Serena nodded, and the girl tentatively came closer to Ash. She then reach into the bag on her arm. It was woven from long, thin grasses, strong enough to hold food and a water bottle, along with her Pokèmon. She pulled out a peach coloured berry and a large leaf.

"Do you have a knife?" she asked, more confidence in her voice. Serena shook her head, but Ash's weak voice came to her ears.

"I have a sword in the sheath..." he rasped, and the girl nodded and carefully pulled it out. She then chopped the peach berry into small slices, before taking a rock and smashing it into the slices, making a mushy paste. She rolled the green leaf around the leaf and cut it in half. Then she fed one half to Ash. The effects were quick; his skin returned to it's normal colour and he looked stronger.

"Eat the other half, then drink some water." the girl said, and he nodded obediently.

"Who are you?"Serena asked. She would be a great ally.

"Amarillo del Bosque Verde, but I'm known as Yellow." she said. "And before you ask, I would love to be your ally. I saw how you killed Crystal and injured Silver. If your friend-"

"-Ash," Serena corrected.

"_-_Ash, wasn't poisoned, he would have destroyed them both-whoops!" Yellow said quietly, her obvious energy showing as her voice rose, getting her an angry glare from Serena.

Ash was standing up now, practising attacks with his sword. He sliced branches off of a tree and packed them in his backpack. Pikachu was resting near him, one eyes open, watching for danger.

Serena decided to release her only Pokèmon, Fennekin. The fox happily dashed in circles around her legs.

Yellow pulled out a Pokèball from her bag and opened it, releasing a Raticate.

"Hi Ratty! Did you miss me?" she asked, and the mouse cried out happily.

Ash decided to release Pidgeot, and the massive bird was out, it's huge wings strong enough to snap a person's neck.

"Pidgeee!" it crowed. Ash stroked it's head feathers gently.

"Yellow, Serena, we need to find somewhere to set up a camp. Once we are all safe, I can explain my plan." Ash said suddenly, his voice calm and quiet.

Yellow nodded. "Sure. I know a great spot, deep in the forest, or we could go towards the mountains in the north. I don't think the water's a good idea; there's a red Gyrados guarding it. He destroys anyone who gets too close."

"I thought Gyrados were blue?" Serena asked, confused.

"It's most likely a mutation created by the Gamemakers." Ash said, unconcerned. Serena had began rummaging through her small black bag, finally pulling out something wrapped in cloth. She turned to Yellow. "You're from District 7, right?" she asked.

"Yeah, lumber. Why?" she asked, perplexed as Serena handed her the object. The blond girl unwrapped it to see a shiny axe, brand new and perfect for throwing.

Yellow's eyes went wide. "Where did you get this?"

"Um... from a kid hiding in a tree. It was in his backpack. Why?"

Yellow shook her head. "No reason, it just reminds me of Red... he was the best at throwing axes. I could never be as good as him."

"Could he hit a target from a tree in the head?" Serena asked quickly. Yellow nodded.

"Then he's the guy who killed Ruby. He never did find out who killed Sapphire in the end."

Ash coughed, and both girls looked at him. "Umm, yeah... I did that." he said sheepishly.

"Is Red okay?" Yellow asked, and Serena didn't answer.

"Oh." Yellow said.

"Never mind about that, let's start going towards the mountain. Then we'll plan out how we're going to win from there." Ash said, and they all agreed.

* * *

><p>Yellow held on to wall of the mountain like a lifeline. The others were farther up, but she was okay. She was trying to forget about Red, about his death, about how badly she wanted to be with him. She had to win this, for her family back at home. No matter the personal cost.<p>

She and Red were very close. He hadn't known she was a girl, and they'd been best friends. She was in love with him, but too shy to tell him, until one day when she decided enough was enough and kissed him. It was better than she could have imagined, and after that, the first thing that he said was "I don't swing that way," and she nearly facepalmed before removing her favourite straw hat and showing her long ponytail, hidden for so long. He was shocked at first, but within a week, they were together.

He was a romantic, treating her like a princess, giving her flowers that he bought with his money, taking her to amazing spots where they could see the sunset. They were perfect together, a wonderful couple. He was two years older than her, but promised that he would wait, and when she was 18, they would get married.

When they called her name at the Reaping, those dreams disappeared. But when a kid named Ethan was chosen at the Reaping, Red volunteered himself. Later, she had yelled at him for his idiocy, but he told her that he couldn't live in a world without her.

And now she was on her own, in a world without him.

Now, he was gone.

* * *

><p>As the trio found a small cavern in the snow-capped mountain, Ash unrolled his sleeping bag. Yellow dumped out her small bag, revealing lots of grass that she neatly organized into a bed of sorts.<p>

"I'll take first watch. Serena, you're next and you can use my sleeping bag while I'm up, and we'll swap later."

"And while I'm on my shift, you can use my bed!" Yellow added.

Everyone pooled their food. Yellow had some beef strips, two apples and half a loaf of bread. She also had a variety of berries that her Pokèmon had been eating, and was happy to share. Serena had two packages of trail mix, some dried pears, an orange and some crackers. Ash had the most. He had dried apples and pears, seven beef strips, an apple, a package of trail mix, three energy bars and a package of crackers. They divided the food up, each of them getting enough to last them a few days away from the group.

Yellow and Serena went to sleep easily, Fennekin and Raticate by their sides. Ash and Pikachu sat new the entrance of the cave, watching for enemy tributes.

It didn't take long; ten minutes after Ash had started guard, a purple haired kid came in, not even noticing the other people in the cave. He was carrying a blue haired girl girl in his arms; the girl was shaking in the cold.

"It's okay Dawn, I'll start the fire and you'll be warm in no time." The boy said. Ash coughed loudly, and the guy looked up at him. "Shit." he muttered, and pulled out a long dagger.

Ash backed up. "No need to draw weapons, you're safe here."

The guy didn't put it away. "If I put the weapon down, you'll stab me in the back as soon as you can. I don't think so, Twelve." he said rudely. The way he said 12 stung.

Yellow and Serena woke up as the boys voice echoed through the cavern. "What's going on?" Serena yawned, but quickly got to her senses when she saw the dagger. Yellow quickly grabbed her axe, and Serena held tight to her spear. Ash, however, had unzipped his backpack and pulled out a small box and a the branches from earlier.

With a quick stroke, the match was lit, and five minutes later, a small fire had started, crackling as the flames licked the wood. Yellow had sat down and watched Ash start the fire, but Serena was still gripping her spear tightly and the boy still held his dagger out. Dawn, the girl was named, had pulled herself towards the fire and was no longer shaking.

Ash looked up at the purple-haired kid. "Truce? Just for tonight?"

After a minute or so, the boy nodded. "Truce. But only because Dawn was going to freeze."

Dawn smirked. "Like you weren't cold, Paul." she teased. He only scowled.

* * *

><p>They were all planning on having a good night's sleep. But fate wouldn't allow that.<p>

The cave shook as a huge Pokèmon stomped towards their small camp.

"ABOMASNOW!" the Frost Tree Pokèmon bellowed in anger.

* * *

><p><strong>Okay, that's the end of Chapter 2! Also, please, answer my poll that's on my profile! Really important!<strong>


	3. Chapter 3

**Okay, I'm back with a new chapter!**

**Disclaimer:**** I don't own Pokèmon or The Hunger Games.**

* * *

><p>Misty Waterflower sighed as she heard the anthem play. Three photos appeared on the screen, next to their district. She didn't know any of them.<p>

First was a teenager with long black hair. He was next to the number District 1.

Second was a girl with blue-brown hair from District 2.

Finally, there was a boy about the age of 16 with short black hair and messy bangs with a District 7 sign near his photo.

She was surprised. There was only two Careers left, herself and the boy from District 2. But that didn't matter much to her, since nobody came close to the lake she was camped out at. Not with her red Gyarados standing guard.

She had found it in the river back in District 4. It was a Magikarp back then, a dark shade of orange she didn't remember seeing on regular Magikarp. Still, the poor dear was sick with poisons from the junk the Capitol poured down their sinks. She had taken it in, nursing it back to health, feeding it healthy food and even helping it learn to swim a bit in her small pond near her house. Within a few weeks, it was ready to go back into the wild.

A part of her died as she watched it happily dive back into the water, it's tail splashing as it swam in happy circles. So she pulled out a spare Pokèball from her coat pocket, offered the Magikarp a new home, and felt an amazing feeling of joy as he bumped the button with his nose. He was her first capture.

The next day, he evolved into a ferocious Gyarados, shocking her as he showed off his powerful moves. So when her older sister Daisy had been chosen for the Reaping a month later, she couldn't believe that she had said the words "I volunteer as tribute!" and actually felt pleased. She was going to win and come home as victor, her faithful Pokèmon by her side, and nothing would stop her.

* * *

><p>Paul woke up to a ear-splitting roar that nearly caused him to go deaf. He looked for the source, only to see a huge Pokèmon at the cave. It looked like a giant tree covered in snow. The other kid, Ash, was scanning it with some red Capitol device.<p>

_"Abomasnow, the Frost Tree Pokèmon. It lives a quiet life on mountains that are perpetually covered in snow. It blankets wide areas in snow by whipping up blizzards. It is also knob as 'The Ice Monster'."_

"What in Arceus's name is an Abomasnow?" Paul yelled. Ash glared at him.

"How am I support to know? You figure it out-" he replied, but was stopped as the Abomasnow shot an Ice Beam at the raven haired tribute. He nimbly dodged and commanded a Thunderbolt from his Pikachu.

But the attack never hit as the Frost Tree Pokèmon was smashed into by a large orange dragon. A brown haired guy was riding it, holding on tightly as the creature slit Abomasnow's throat and threw it into the mountain. That was a bad idea, because the impact knocked a huge pile of snow down.

"Avalanche!" Dawn screamed, and everyone ran for the back of the cave. A noise came from outside, shaking and booming as it went down.

Ash glimpsed the orange dragon and it's rider get caught in the snow fall, covered in it before they were out of sight. The noise stopped, and a cannon went off.

_**Boom!**_

Another tribute gone.

"How do we get out of here?" Yellow asked, and nobody answered. Serena was shivering, so she brought out her Fennekin.

"Fennekin, can you warm me up?" she asked, and the little Pokèmon yipped in agreement.

Ash, on the other hand, was in deep thought.

"Do you two have any Water types?" he questioned Paul and Dawn. Paul shook his head. "I only have my Electivire, and her Piplup wouldn't be able to do much with water."

"Doesn't matter. Bring him out Dawn." Ash replied, and the bluenette looked a little shaky as she released her penguin.

"Pip Piplup!" the Piplup cheered.

"Does he know any really strong Water type moves?" Ash asked. Dawn nodded.

"Hydro Pump and Bubblebeam. He can also use Drill Peck and Ice Beam." she said quickly.

"Perfect. Can you get him to use Hydro Pump at the snow and then Ice Beam?"

Dawn nodded, and told her tiny Pokèmon what to do. The Piplup fired a huge torrent of water, followed by a beam of ice that froze the snow completely into a huge chunk of ice.

"Alright! Now, Pikachu, use Iron Tail!" Ash yelled, and the Tiny Mouse Pokèmon swung a steel-hard tail into the ice, shattering it into pieces.

Sunlight streamed into the cave. The group cautiously walked outside, hoping that they were safe for a little while.

* * *

><p>Conway had been Head Gamemaker for years, as long as anyone could remember. He was trusted by Giovanni to add a little excitement at the best times, and he excelled at his job. Right now, he was focused on something new that would liven up the Games. He wanted a beast to tear something (or someone) apart.<p>

"Conway, sir? I think I have exactly what you want." one scientist said, and showed him the image of a powerful Pokèmon mutation.

"Perfect. Send it out to the forest section. Somewhere with lots of trees would be best." Conway grinned, his glasses flashing slightly.

* * *

><p>Gary Oak considered himself a pretty good trainer. At the age of 4, he had lost his parents to some wild Beedrill that went wild in the orchard where they were working. He heard stories that it took minutes to die from Beedrill poison, and it was agonizing. He hoped they weren't true.<p>

He lived with his grandfather after that. It was how he got his rare Pokèmon, Eevee. It was a gift from his grandfather, a Pokèmon researcher for the Capitol. The little Eevee was the only thing that helped him get over his parent's death, but it was hard not to think about them. When he had been chosen for the Reaping with a little 12-year-old girl, he couldn't help but give up then. No Career in their right mind would want him, so his only chance was to team up with his district partner and try his hardest.

The little girl had died moments after the Games began. He had saw her being burned alive by a Charizard and the tribute from District 6.

He promised his grandfather he would return home. He promised.

There were a few signs that foretold the imminent danger to him.

The first was Umbreon, his Pokèmon, sniffing the air. Gary could smell it too. Smoke.

The second was the wild Pokèmon in the surrounding area fleeing from the direction he was going.

The third was the roar that you could never mistake for something else because of it's special sound. A Pokèmutt.

Gary had no chance of escape; the monster leaped out of the shadows, it's cream-coloured fur on the bottom and the almost green colour on top, flames flickering from it's back. He'd never seen a Pokèmon like it at all. Umbreon jumped forward, ready to attack, but in seconds the Moonlight Pokèmon was dead by a Slash to small Pokèmon's fragile chest, the claw sliding in like butter.

Gary turned around, starting to run, but tripped on a tree root. He knew it was the end for him, and hoped his grandfather wasn't watching right now, even though he knew he probably was.

The fierce Pokèmutt launched a Blast Burn at him, and he felt like he was being hit with thousands of white-hot knives before it was over. He couldn't move anymore; his destroyed body hit the forest floor with a light thud, and the cannon went off.

* * *

><p>Yellow heard the cannon go off, a noise in their calm walk through the forest.<p>

Paul heard it too, but he also saw what Yellow didn't: smoke coming from nearby.

He only had time to shout out a warning before it appeared, lashing out at the group.

"TYPHLOSION!" it called out, and everyone ran. They all knew what it was. A Pokèmutt.

They were dangerous creatures created by the Capitol. This one was vicious.

The Typhlosion was about 7 feet tall and pure muscle and firepower. Typhlosion were fierce fighters and fast runners.

They tried to run, but it was hopeless.

Serena felt it's claw dig into the back of her leg; she cried out, collapsing as the wound began to bleed heavily.

Ash dived to the ground as a Flamethrower burned off some of his hair.

Yellow was in shock, fear paralyzing her. Thoughts were rushing through her head.

_This is perfect, Yellow. Let it burn you to a crisp, and then you can be with Red. You could never live long as victor without him anyway. You'd be one of those people driven madly insane, finally killing yourself when your mind snaps. This way, it isn't suicide._

She tried to push the thoughts out of her head, reminding herself that she wanted to win, but the words felt hollow as he others ones seeped back into her mind.

The Pokèmutt didn't let her choose; Yellow gasped as the claw sunk into her stomach. The Typhlosion pulled it out, and she fell, lifelessly to the earthy floor. The creature left: it's job was done.

Everyone came close to her. Ash tried to put pressure on the wound, but she shook her head at him, and he stopped.

"Yellow, don't give up!" Dawn cried out, but Yellow wasn't listening anymore. She couldn't hear any of them. All she noticed was the soft, glowing light that looked a lot like a person. It held her hand, warming it slightly.

Yellow slowly unclipped Ratty's Pokèball and handed it to Ash.

"Take...please." she whispered, and he nodded, a single tear rolling down his cheek.

Her chest slowed, her breath shaky. She gathered up the last of her energy and mumbled three words.

"...I...see...Red."

As she spoke her last words, her chest stilled, her pulse stopped.

As the twinkle in her eyes disappeared, the cannon went off.

_**Boom!**_

* * *

><p>"Please, please don't-" but the girl's voice was cut off as Silver swung his sword into Iris's skull. The cannon was almost instant.<p>

_**Boom!**_

He wiped the blood off of his silver weapon in the long grasses. Another weak tribute down. He glanced at the dead Axew near her. He had slashed it's neck moments before he killed her.

He was pulled out of his thoughts when he heard Head Gamemaker Conway speak.

* * *

><p>Ash's heart stilled as Head Gamemaker Conway spoke throughout the arena.<p>

"Hello tributes! I'm sure most of you know, but I'd just like to remind everyone that we are now in the Final 8. Congratulations to the lucky tributes that are still alive! Now, I'm pleased to announce that we will be having a feast at the Cornucopia tomorrow at noon."

Ash shook his head silently to Serena; they had no need for food.

"Now I know some of you are already declining my offer, so I've decided to sweeten the deal. Many of you have one, maybe not, but most of you have a Pokèmon. I'm offering two Pokèmon to every tribute that comes to the feast. Of course, if you don't come, someone else can take your Pokèmon. They are all randomly picked, you could grab an Aggron or a Pichu. But, a Pokèmon is a rare gift, and if you become victor, it's yours to keep. So please, consider my offer."

As soon as Conway's voice disappeared, the arguing began. Paul and Ash wanted to go, Dawn and Serena did not.

"A Pokèmon could be the tipping scale for us!" Paul yelled.

"Not if you get killed by Silver of someone else!" Serena countered.

"But we could use another Pokèmon to destroy the enemy!" Ash shouted.

"Well we're not going!" Dawn cried out, tears falling down her face. She didn't want to separate from them.

"What if we go and bring back Pokèmon for everyone, and you guys find a new home for us to camp out." Ash suggested.

Paul scowled. "Who said we were a team, 12?" he spat. Ash growled in his throat.

"I guess I assumed since you followed us down the mountain and shared our food, I assumed you were with us!" Ash yelled.

"Teaming up with a 12 like you would be the last thing I would ever do." Paul said.

"Fine. I'm going to the feast then, and if I see your backstabbing, traitorous face there, don't be surprised when I chop your head off." Ash stated cooly.

* * *

><p>The Cornucopia gleamed in the sun, it's golden surface shining in the warm rays of light. Inside, there was a table covered in food. Trail mix, dried fruit, beef strips, apples, oranges, and bottles full of water were resting on the ends of the table, ready for people to grab if they wanted to leave quickly.<p>

But the wooden table itself was surrounded by eight chairs, four on each side. Platters of food covered every inch of it. Capitol delicacies were laid out.

Rice balls, pan seared Magikarp, Pidgey pot roast with vegetables, cakes and desserts and different types of Berry bread. Spearow chicken legs and rich lasagna and Clancher claws with butter and MooMoo Milk, Sitrus Berry juice, and Soda Pop were available in the many pitchers on the table as well.

And there, in a neat little pile in the middle of the table was a box. Inside was exactly 16 red-and-white Pokèballs. 2 for each person, just like Conway had promised.

The first person to arrive was a brown haired tribute. She ran to the middle of the table, where the box rested.

Unzipping her small backpack, she opened the box and started to drop Pokèballs into it.

She had dropped in 7 when the sword impaled her through her back.

"Sorry there, District 10, but it's all about survival of the fittest." Ash said as the girl fell down to the ground, dead. The cannon went off.

_**Boom!**_

He then grabbed her small backpack and added six more Pokèballs to the bag, clipping the last three to his belt with Pikachu, Pidgeot and Ratty. He also threw in most of the beef strips, trail mix and dried fruit.

Ash slipped the backpack on. He left his own with Serena. Dawn and Paul had split up from them. A part of him hoped Paul would show up so he could take him out.

His shoulder ached. It was still weak from his injury three days ago. Then he saw her standing near the Cornucopia.

She had bright red hair tied in a sideways ponytail. Her eyes were cold and hard. He knew instantly who she was. Misty of District 4.

She looked at the girl lying on the ground, then at his backpack.

"Two of those are mine." she said coldly. Ash smirked, raising his sword in a battle stance.

"If you want 'em, come get." he taunted. She cursed under her breath. She obviously had no weapon.

* * *

><p>Misty took a deep breath. She had a very bad plan.<p>

Reaching for her Pokèbelt, she removed her only Pokèball from it's spot.

"Gyarados, kill him!" she yelled as she released the beast, and Ash's eyes widened. The creature was a dark red, the colour of blood. His fangs looked ready to crush his skull.

"Pidgeot, fight back!" Ash shouted, releasing the majestic bird. He then ran back through the golden horn towards the forest.

Pidgeot rushed at Gyarados, it's talons raking it's eyes, leaving bleeding sockets. The Gyarados cried out in pain before releasing a stream of purple-blue energy at Pidgeot.

The powerful Dragon Rage attack hit Pidgeot hard, snapping one of it's wing. The bird called out feebly before Gyarados ended it with Crunch.

But Misty wasn't watching the battle, she was searching for signs of where the raven haired punk had disappeared to.

* * *

><p>Ash gasped for breath as he fell down next to the huge birch tree. Serena had created a camp for them, and she was currently cooking a Pidgey over Fennekin's small, hot body. She mentioned at one point that it was like having a smokeless portable stove.<p>

Ash began releasing his Pokèmon on his belt. Three new Pokèmon emerged.

"Ivysaur!" the dinosaur-like Pokèmon called out.

"Swellow!" the fierce bird Pokèmon cried.

"Infernape!" the fire monkey Pokèmon growled.

Ash removed Pidgeot's Pokèball from his belt and replaced it with a Pokèball from the backpack. He then released the new Pokèmon.

"Noctowl!" the owl Pokèmon said calmly.

He recalled them all, and closed his eyes. He was exhausted.

Serena passed him some Pidgey, and he ate the warm food quietly. Serena grimaced as she walked towards the backpack. Her leg was stilling hurting from the Typhlosion attack, and it was painful. She pulled out 5 Pokèballs from the bag and released them as well.

"Luxray!" the electric lion cried.

"Lilligant?" the Flowering Pokèmon questioned.

"Tyranitar!" the Armour Pokèmon roared.

"Kirlia!" the Psychic type sang.

"Butterfree!" the bug chirped.

Serena smiled as she recalled them. They were all awesome to her. Another cannon went off.

_**Boom!**_

Soon, the sun started setting and the two of them climbed the tree and fell asleep, not even waiting for the anthem.

* * *

><p><em><span>A few hours earlier<span>_

Paul ran towards the Cornucopia. He heard a cannon go off, but that didn't matter to him. As soon as he got there, he saw the huge Gyarados deal a deathblow to a Pidgeot.

_Probably Ash's Pidgeot. _Paul thought.

He carefully crept towards the golden horn. As soon as he could reach it, he grabbed the remainders off travel food off the table edge. Then he heard the growl.

The red Gyarados could hear him. It's eyes were gone, leaving dried blood on it's face like a mask of more red.

A red haired trainer came towards him. She smiled when she saw Paul.

"Hello there. I'm Misty. Any last words?" she asked innocently. The purple haired tribute put on his best scowling look.

_Dawn, remember that I love you._

"Take your last words and put them where the sun don't shine." he replied.

Misty looked enraged.

"Gyrados, crush his puny little head with you teeth." she snarled, and as the Atrocious Pokèmon crushed his head like it was bug.

Paul's world ended in pure pain.

_**Boom!**_

* * *

><p><strong>Alright, that's the end of Ch. 3! <strong>

**I couldn't resist adding a Typhlosion in there!**

**Please, vote on my newest poll for the final 4!**

**Bye for now,**

**Typhlosion8**


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